Common Name: Sensitive Fern Scientific Name: Onoclea sensibilis Distribution: From the Dakotas south to Texas and points eastward. Notes: Likes wet ground. Well-suited for gardens but spreads rapidly. The "sensitive" in its name is a reference to its susceptibility to frost. |
FERNS are vascular plants that contain xylem and phloem. They were the first vascular plants to have roots, stems, and leaves. However, they do not have flowers or seeds. Instead, they use spores to reproduce. The earliest known ferns appear in fossils that are about 350 million years old. Ferns are not as prevalent as they were before flowering plants evolved, but there are still more than 10,000 species of ferns in the world. Of those, about 400 species occur in the United States. Links Books |
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